Super Bowl Stage Has Brands Leaning in to Socially Conscious Spots

Super Bowl Sunday is just days away and football fans are preparing to cheer, jeer and drink beer. But before this year’s showdown between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, let’s take a look at the relationship between the big game and socially conscious advertising.

With a stage so enormous, some brands choose to use their mega budgets to join in or take a stance on more socially conscious narratives v. the traditional male-skewed narratives seen in the past. Last year, a host of brands weighed in on a variety of social issues. It seemed nothing was off limits, be it immigration, refugees, natural disasters, gender equality and diversity— brands are using the stage to inspire and spread awareness towards the issues plaguing the current sociopolitical climate.

According to Statista, the big game is regularly ranked as one of the highest viewed events on television, with last year’s Super Bowl LI raking in over 111 million viewers in the U.S. alone (not including streaming and international broadcasts). It’s almost guaranteed that even non-football fans will tune in, and hence, over the years, it can be argued that advertisers have progressed from male-dominated narratives for male-skewed products to using the unique stage of the Super Bowl as a platform to talk about wider cultural and societal issues.

In the 90s, Super Bowl audiences skewed predominantly male, thus ideals of masculinity were heavily ramped up. For example, Budweiser’s memorable, “Wassup” ad or the iconic Cindy Crawford Pepsi spots. This trend continued through most of the early 2000s.

Today’s sports audiences are all ages and come from diverse racial and religious backgrounds, so there’s room for brands to serve a new story to their audiences that develops an emotional connection.

Last year, this trend came into the forefront of Super Bowl spots with seemingly more socially charged narratives than ever before. Perhaps in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election, and a tense political climate presented as an opportunity for brands to create affinity through awareness and social consciousness.

However, brands creating socially conscious ads have leaned in to the Super Bowl throughout history. Below are a few examples of how brands have used the reach of the Super Bowl to start conversations with a national and international audience.

Socially Conscious Super Bowl Spots Throughout History

Coca Cola, “Hey Kid, Catch!” (1979/80)

The spot is often cited as one the greatest Coca-Cola ads of all time, according to Time. In 1980, it aired during Super Bowl XIV, featuring Pittsburgh’s “Mean” Joe Greene limping toward the Steelers’ locker room when a boy approaches him and offers him a Coke. As a reward, the giant footballer tosses the kid his jersey. This iconic commercial is heralded for juxtaposing the toughness of an aggressive sport with the innocence of a child. It successfully elicits powerful emotions as the two worlds are bridged.

Apple Macintosh, “1984” (1984)

Steve Jobs and Apple had big plans for the Macintosh and to introduce their visionary new product to the world they chose the third quarter break of Super Bowl XVIII for its only national airing. Like Jobs himself, this ad broke all the rules, and thanks in part to a huge national audience, made an impact that got people excited about technology at a time when the social conscience was weary. It also caused a national conversation that overshadowed the game itself.

Always, “Like A Girl” (2015)

An ad that helped shape a generation and change the way we raise our kids, the Procter & Gamble brand, Always chose the Super Bowl as a forum to empower women in a male-dominated society. The brand took advantage of the captive sport-loving audience to remind them that although sports can be a great unifier, it can often be toxic in its treatment of girls and women. The ad placed a mirror on society during what is traditionally the most male-dominated day on the calendar to start important conversations.

This ad from last year’s Super Bowl was put together just nine days prior to the game in response to political action and current events conversations. Although the message is powerful in its simplicity, the fact that it was broadcast on such a national scale spoke more about the moment than the brand.

At the culmination of a season that brought us political protests, natural disasters and anthem kneeling, what will this year’s Super Bowl ads bring?